Cold Kiss
by Cloud and Tifa
Summary: He hadn't noticed that Tifa had wrapped her arm around his as he was too deep in thought. He wanted to believe that it was the cold that bought them closer and maybe it did. AU. Small fic for Happy New Years. Oneshot. Cloti.


Tifa shoved her hands in her jacket pocket and hunched her shoulders as she braced herself for the bitter wind that nipped at her face.

Cloud glanced at her and quirked his eyebrow.

"I didn't bring my gloves." She confessed.

Without thought, he took her hand in his. Through his leather gloves, he felt what little warmth she had as she squeezed his hand in gratitude. His face was red both from the cold and from being so close to her.

True to its name, the Icicle Inn was freezing and it was covered in approximately seven inches of snow. Someone had dug a pathway but it kept snowing throughout the week so it was nearly covered. Cloud and Tifa trudged through the small town, neither of them saying anything as they were content to stay in silence. They had spent the day snowboarding. Yesterday, they went hiking and the day before that they went sightseeing.

But tomorrow, they were going to leave. Cloud lived in Midgar and she still lived in Nibelheim.

He felt his stomach twist as they edged closer to the inn. He wanted to say something but he wasn't sure what to say. That was one thing he liked about Tifa. She mostly did the talking and found some way to make him feel comfortable whenever she was speaking to him.

But if there was ever a time that he felt anxious and scared, then it was nothing compared to what he felt right now. He didn't know why. It was just Tifa.

Tifa, who he claimed that he was just friends with to nearly everybody who saw them together. Well, that was true, wasn't it? They were friends. Tifa had surely told anyone the same thing whenever she was asked about him.

But did she see him as a friend?

He had pondered on that for a long time. How long had he known her? They grew up together but never really talked until they were in high school. Now, he couldn't think of a moment in his life where she wasn't in it. It seemed silly and almost strange of him to admit it but ever since they started being friends his life became better. Other kids used to make fun of him because of his hair but it was Tifa who had gushed over it and said he looked cute like a chocobo.

He felt his cheeks redden even more. He hadn't noticed that Tifa had wrapped her arm around his as he was too deep in thought. He wanted to believe that it was the cold that bought them closer and maybe it did. The first time they ever talked was when some of the school bullies were throwing snowballs at him and she had swooped in to save him.

She saved me. Saved me from others and from myself. He was her first friend. He cared for her deeply and he was sure she cared about him, too. Before he knew her, he was nothing and was ready to deal with being alone. He was just a kid who wanted to fit in and be accepted for who he was, and she was the one who had stepped up and stood by his side.

Cloud stopped in his tracks. He needed to say it. It was the only time. He didn't know when he'd get another chance. He won't see her again until a few months but if he didn't do anything now something might change. He might lose his chance or she would feel differently.

Confused, Tifa stopped walking as well and looked at him. "What's wrong?"

Snowflakes fell lightly on her dark hair and some of it landed on her eyelashes. The light from the streetlamps made her face glow and stand out as it cast a shadow over her face. She was pretty, he mused. But he always knew that. He met her eyes and felt his heart thump wildly against his chest.

"I wanted to tell you something," he said quietly.

Her eyebrows furrowed in concern. "Are you okay? Let's go inside and then—"

He kissed her.

One of his hands was on her shoulders to steady himself as he leaned forward. He didn't realize it until it was too late that he had never kissed a girl. The thought made him grow stiff until he eventually pulled away.

Her eyes were closed and when she opened them she looked shocked.

"Cloud?"

He stepped back to give her some space. "I'm sorry. I... I shouldn't have done that but I," he stumbled to find what to say. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "Tifa, ever since we were kids I—"

Her cold hand came up to his face and his mind drew a blank as her thumb stroked his cheek. She smiled and then stepped forward and bought her lips to his.

Cloud felt the cold creep in around them as a gust of wind swept by but he wrapped his arms around her in an embrace as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Her lips met his with equal passion and then stopped to breathe until they were back to kissing again.

Tomorrow, they'd go their separate ways. Even if the letters they sent would cause them miss each other but they'd make it work. Not only did he want to believe that but he was sure they'd figure it out.

But for now, this moment would have to suffice.

* * *

A/N: Sorry for the short fanfic but I wanted to write something short and sweet. Hope you guys enjoyed it, and Happy New Years to you all!


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